Commonwealth Foundation has announced regional winners of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction from the Commonwealth. The five regional winners will go through to the final round of judging, with the overall winner to be named on June 25. Their stories will be published online by Granta. This year's regional honorees:
Africa: "Mothers Not Appearing in Search" by Joshua Lubwama (Uganda)
Asia: "An Eye and a Leg" by Faria Basher (Bangladesh)
Canada & Europe: "Descend" by Chanel Sutherland (Canada/Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
Caribbean: "Margot's Run" by Subraj Singh (Guyana)
Pacific: "Crab Sticks and Lobster Rolls" by Kathleen Ridgwell (Australia)
Chair of the judges Dr. Vilsoni Hereniko said, "These stories illuminate many aspects of human nature and demonstrate true mastery of the short story form. Each tale shows that geography matters in storytelling. They are works of fiction that are inseparable from the local culture and history from which they have sprung. They have color and emotional resonance--and they moved me deeply. Congratulations to the regional winners!"